1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing information to and from an optical disc, and particularly relates to an optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus having a function capable of interrupting a power failure recovery process when a power failure occurs during recording.
2. Description of Related Arts
In recent years, DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) that are optical discs capable of recording large amounts of image and audio data etc. such as for movies have become widespread. Well known types of DVDs include DVD-ROMs where information is recorded on the manufacturer side and cannot be over-written on the user side, DVD-Rs or DVD+Rs where information can be recorded one time on the user side, and DVD-RWs, DVD+RWs or DVD-RAM etc. where information can be re-written any number of times on the user side. The information recorded on these DVDs can be reproduced by an optical disc reproducing apparatus (a DVD player) or an optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus (DVD recorder). Recording of information to a DVD-R, DVVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM is possible using an optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus (DVD recorder).
In the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus, when a recording error occurs during recording of data in the event of recording data to a minus format DVD such as a DVD-R or DVD-RW, or to a plus format DVD such as a DVD+R or a DVD+RW, a predetermined number of retries take place for an address that cannot be written to. When writing cannot be achieved even after a predetermined number of retries, then that address is skipped and recording of data to a subsequent address is then attempted. Further, during reproduction, when reading is not possible for the address the recording error has occurred for even after a predetermined number of retries, this address is skipped and it is attempted to read data from a subsequent address.
However, in the event that a power supply of an apparatus is suddenly cut as a result of a power failure while recording is performed to record information to an optical disc in an optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus, operation of the apparatus stops abruptly. The optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus then enters a power failure recovery process when the power supply of the apparatus is turned on again. However, when a power failure recovery process is entered in the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus of the related art, normal operation cannot be returned to until the power failure recovery process ends normally. This means that a user then has to wait until the power failure recovery process is complete when a user wishes to perform a desired operation.
For example, when a power failure occurs while a certain television program is being recorded onto an optical disc for two hours, five hours, or ten hours, so that the apparatus stops, if the power supply is then recovered and a power failure recovery process is carried out, the length of time for the power supply recovery process is the same as the recording time of two hours, five hours, or ten hours. The user is then unable to carry out any operations they wish to perform during this period. However, the configuration is such that the power failure recovery process is entered again when the power is turned on again as a result of a normal power key operation even after the power supply is turned off as a result of a normal power key operation or as a result of a power plug of the apparatus being removed from a power outlet once the apparatus enters the power failure recovery process. The above problems are therefore not solved.
When power failure occurs during recording with optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus of the related art, a power failure recovery process is carried out and it is intended to recover recording content up to when the power failed. However, a situation where other operations such as, for example, recording and reproduction cannot be carried out is prolonged when the power failure recovery process is entered because this process takes a long time as described above. This means that the user has to wait unnecessarily until the power failure recovery process is complete, which is detrimental to ease of use.
JP-A-2006-134142 of the related art discloses a technology where, when it is detected that power is no longer being supplied as a result of a power failure, etc, an automatic completion process is carried out where the power required to carry out the automatic completion process is supplied by a back-up power supply apparatus and the power is turned off after the automatic completion process is complete. However, there is the possibility that it is not possible to completely carry out the automatic completion process when a secondary battery contained in the back-up power supply apparatus was not charged sufficiently. Further, when the secondary battery deteriorates so that there is no longer any electrical power stored, it is not possible to carry out the automatic completion process. In this case, after the power supply is recovered, it is necessary to carry out the power failure recovery process described above. It is therefore not possible to carry out other operations during the power failure recovery process. This means that the user has to wait unnecessarily until the power failure recovery process is complete, which is detrimental to the ease of use. Further, for example, when the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus is provided with a back-up power supply apparatus, the optical disc recording and reproduction apparatus invites increases in costs, and it is necessary to provide sufficient space for providing the back-up power supply apparatus. This also means that the casing of the apparatus becomes larger.